On a spring evening in Philadelphia, what began as a response to a domestic disturbance call tragically ended the life of a young police officer. Matthew Curran, a 28-year-old Caucasian male, had only been with the Philadelphia Police Department for five months when he was killed on Friday, May 26, 1905. He was assigned to the Front and Master Streets Station.
The fatal encounter unfolded after a woman reported that her son had severely beaten her.
Officer Curran responded to the call at a residence located at 1304 Frankford Avenue. As he attempted to arrest the woman's son in the rear of the home, the suspect, who was 32 years old at the time, opened fire. Officer Curran was struck by a bullet from a handgun and succumbed to his injuries.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the suspect managed to evade capture. Despite law enforcement's efforts, the man responsible for the death of Officer Matthew Curran was never apprehended and, as a result, no arrests were ever made in the case. The case remains officially unresolved, with no one ever being brought to trial or facing any conviction or sentencing for the murder of the young officer.
